Australia's greatest games as gold hits 17

Page Tools

Thorpe appeared emotional in the pool as he retained the 400 metres title. Reinstated to the team after falling from the blocks in the trials, Thorpe was cheered on by the man who stepped aside for him, Craig Stevens. Grant Hackett pushed his teammate all the way, but there was no denying Thorpe the gold medal.

‘‘The people I swam it for was the person who gave me the opportunity in this race, Craig Stevens, and I was thinking about him, about my coach Tracey Menzies, my family, all of the people that this means something to, and all of the people who have been prepared to support me in the lead-up to this through the tough times.’’ — Ian Thorpe

Veteran Thomas combined with the youthful might of Australian women’s swimming to kickstart their campaign with a roar. Jodie Henrymade up a body length on the final leg in record time to finish off a world-record swim and announce the Australian women as the real deal in the pool.

‘‘I’ve got a full set of Olympic medals now.’’ — Petria Thomas

DAY 2

CYCLING
Women’s road race — Sara Carrigan

In furnace conditions, Carrigan stuck to the lead all day before outsprinting Germany’s Judith Arndt in the final 100 metres. Carrigan thanked teammates including Oenone Wood for aiding her cause during the race.

One of the most popular victories among swimming fans as the likeable Thomas finally earned the individual gold medal she so richly deserved. Holding off Dutch star Inge de Bruijn, Thomas came home in the 100 despite being considered better over the 200 distance.

‘‘An Olympic gold medal is something you work your whole life for and now I’ve got two of them.’’ — Petria Thomas

DAY 3

SHOOTING
Women’s trap — Suzanne Balogh

Ranked 20th in the world before the Games, Balogh used the comments of an official she would not name, who told her she was ‘‘too old and too talentless’’, to drive herself to a goldmedal performance. A fifth gold medal put Australia briefly at the top of the medal table before China struck back.

‘‘I’ve tried to prove them wrong and I have. I won’t mention names, but it was someone who inspired me.’’ — Suzanne Balogh

SWIMMING
Men’s 200m freestyle — Ian Thorpe

Promoted as the race of the century, Thorpe said he won this one for himself as he defeated the man who touched him out in Sydney, Pieter van den Hoogenband, along with US superstar Michael Phelps and Grant Hackett. Simply superb, Thorpe took the mantle of the world’s best swimmer in this race. And with five Olympic gold medals, Thorpe now had more than any other Australian athlete in history.

‘‘I think this one was more for me, than other people. It was a great result for myself.’’ — Ian Thorpe

DAY 6

SWIMMING
Women’s 100m freestyle — Jodie Henry

Modest and engaging, Henry became the new darling of Australian swimming in Athens, with a world record in the semi-final of this event, and crowning herself with the gold medal in the final. Defeating the previous Olympic champion Inge de Bruijn, who tried to stare her down, Henry enjoyed herself and seemed almost oblivious to the significance of her achievement.

‘‘It’s just a sport. It’s great to have a gold medal but, you know, the people I go home to will be the same people I went away from.’’ — Jodie Henry

DAY 7

CYCLING
Women’s track 500m time-trial — Anna Meares

Meares set a world record with a blistering two laps after arriving in Athens as the reigning world champion. Proudly declaring herself a coal miner’s daughter from Queensland, Meares was inspired to compete as a child when watching former Australian cyclist Kathy Watt.

‘‘I never dreamed of a world record; I’m over the moon, actually. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.’’ — Anna Meares

DAY 8

ROWING
Men’s pair — Drew Ginn, James Tomkins

Four years after injury cruelled their chances in Sydney, Tomkins claimed his third gold medal and Ginn his second. Ginn, formerly a high school student of Tomkins, received a back injury in 2000 and tearfully accepted his 2004 gold after the two dominated the race.

‘‘The human spirit can overcome many things, I didn’t see any way that I was going to be back here again, let alone in a rowing boat.’’ — Drew Ginn

SWIMMING
Men’s 1500m freestyle — Grant Hackett

Rumours before the race that Hackett was slightly unwell were confirmed afterwards by the gold medallist himself, yet the defending champion managed to stave off strong swims from US and British athletes to turn in an outstanding final lap and set an Olympic record. Hackett, who was beaten in his heat, celebrated wildly after leaving the pool, and with the win he became one of just five Australians who have defended an Olympic title.

‘‘They’re not making the next four years easy, but I’ll be there in Beijing.’’ — Grant Hackett

An Australian-record backstroke leg by Giaan Rooney, a big effort from Leisel Jones in the breaststroke, then came two swimmers who had already starred in individual events, to finish off the US threat and smash another world record. Thomas turned in an amazing butterfly leg to give Henry a chance, and yet another awesome swim sealed the deal.

‘‘I knew if I could get Jodie to within a metre or so we would win. It was awesome, we smashed that record.’’ — Petria Thomas.

DAY 9

DIVING
Women’s 10m platform — Chantelle
Newbery

A superb final three dives secured Australia’s first Olympic diving gold medal since the Paris 1924 Olympic Games, with Newbery adding to the family haul, after already claiming a bronze herself and husband and fellow diver Robert Newbery adding two bronze.

‘‘I was very scared, I can tell you that. My last dive is my best dive — that’s why it’s my last dive — and I just tried not to think about gold, silver or bronze.’’ — Chantelle Newbery

Ominous form in the first round took this combination to a world record, before heading into the final to easily defeat Great Britain. The win came 20 years after the previous victory for Australia in this event, and secured the best-ever Olympic cycling haul, but more was to come.

Anger drove Ryan Bayley to claim Australia’s fourth cycling gold, as he managed to dig deep and defeat Theo Bos in the final after earlier losing his first sprint to the Dutch rider. The rivalry with Bos is intense and narrow margins secured Bayley’s first gold.

‘‘After the first race, I got off my bike, got very aggro, got very pissed off, which for Theo is bad news. When I get pissed off I get really fast.’’ — Ryan Bayley

DAY 12

CYCLING
Men’s track madison — Graeme Brown,
Stuart O’Grady

O’Grady claimed gold at his fourth Olympics, returning to track cycling after a four-year break, while Brown earned his second gold in Athens.

O’Grady was controversially drafted into the team late, but proved selectors right as the two combined beautifully to claim a record sixth cycling gold.

After sitting in the shadow of the successful women’s team for so long, a courageous golden-goal 2-1 victory over the Netherlands to secure gold finally shook the monkey off the back of the men’s team. A huge victory after 48 barren years at the top for the men’s team.

‘‘There is no more history that we are bridesmaids, so you can stop asking that question and we can hold that gold medal around our necks for four years.’’ — Jamie Dwyer